The Dragon Knight
by windrider37
Summary: When a mercenary knight on the run from Laus is wounded,He is granted a divine strength,and he must use it to purge evil from the land of Elibe. New and old characters! Based on Blazing Sword.Please read and review PLZ.
1. Ambush!

_Hey people this is my first fanfic, and I'm still new. Please read this and tell me what you think _

Chapter 1,_ The golden knight._

Jake sighed as he trudged down the road leading from Castle Ostia. He had met with Lord Uther, the marquess of the land Ostia, asking for any kind of mercenary work that he could do to earn money for food. Uther had no work, but had sent Jake to Laus to deliver a message to marquess Darin. Jake had no idea what the message was, as Uther had sealed it and tied it, but he at least was getting paid for the trip. He had food, and spare money to buy lodging at an inn. Eh, at least it was better than staying out in the rain every night.

Jake wasn't very poor. He often did mercenary work for his meal money, but sometimes he couldn't find work, and that would mean going hungry. The reason for this lifestyle was Darin. He had fled the castle when Darin had ordered him to arrest a family on unprovable charges of treason. He had helped the family escape, then had been forced to fight his way to freedom: he had killed 5 of Darin's knights who had tried to stop him. Now he was faced with the ugly prospect of facing Darin again. He knew that it wouldn't go well, so he planned on sending a servant to the castle to deliver the message. He didn't want a scene as he tried to deliver a simple message. Oh well, no point in worrying about it until it happened.

Jake noticed that it was dusk, and that he should start making camp. He smiled as he saw a small bush that seemed a perfect cover for a bed. He knelt down and began to make a fire and set up for the night. He began to munch on dried food as he sat near the fire. After he finished his dinner, he began to clean his armor, which was crusted with mud from the road. He needed to buy some new armor… even though he was about 17 years old, his armor looked to be about 50 years old. His armor had been worn by some other knight, then given to him when he was knighted. As he was scrubbing away at the iron, he had the feeling that someone was watching him. He continued to clean his armor, but was more watchful. Jake heard horse hooves in the distance, but figured it was just some traveler. He put his armor away, then sat with his back against a boulder, keeping constant watch on the clearing he had made. He prayed to , as was his custom before falling asleep. He was religious to a degree, not a fanatic like those monks at the temples. Jake often prayed for safe passage, as well as for good payment and his good health. He finished his prayers, then sat, watching the clearing.

Jake began to doze, the clearing beginning to grow dark as the fire died. He was on the verge of passing out, when strong hands came out of nowhere , clamping down on his mouth. Jake, in a panic, grabbed his dagger and slashed up ward, hoping to hit someone's face. There was a howl of pain, then the hands released him. Jake dove for his sword, and upon pulling it from it's sheath, he saw what appeared to be twenty men gathered in a circle around him, cutting off any means of escape. He gripped his sword tightly, waiting for any one of the men to make a move. _They must be brigands! They're trying to rob me! _Jake thought.

One of the brigands stepped forward, and Jake recoiled slightly: the man was butt-ugly, with hair that merely sat on his head. He began speaking, his voice gravely. "Well now, looks like easy loot tonight boys! Tell you what kiddo… you give us everything you got, and I'll let you live. How does that sound?" He said, grinning smugly.

Jake pretended to think about the offer, then turned to the man. "As tempting as your offer is, I'm afraid I'm going to have to turn down your offer, as I like keeping all my stuff to myself. So if you could leave, we'll have no need for violence."He tried to talk the man down, but to no avail.

The brute's face turned beet red as he turned to his comrades. "He dares mock us, the Dark Blades?! Show him what we are! Tear that knight apart!!"he screamed. All the brigands rushed forward, eager for a part in the killing. Jake ducked under axes, lashing out with his sword here and there when he got the opportunity. He caught a glimpse of the man he had cut in the face… He was charging at Jake , with fury in his eyes. Jake sidestepped him and slashed him across the back. He dodged several more axes, but he was beginning to tire. He had cut down his seventh bandit when his foot slipped. An ax caught Jake in the chest carried him through the air, then threw him against the same boulder he had once been sitting against. He slid to the ground and sat there, unable to move, struggling for breath He looked down and saw blood flowing from the gash in his chest . Oddly , he couldn't feel any pain. _So this is death .Not so bad then ._Before he slid sideways, he grasped the necklace he always wore as whispered, " _Elemine protect me…."_


	2. Death and rebirth

_Hey It's me again. Sorry about the shortness of my first chapter. I'll make this one read and review! Thanks _

Chapter 2 _New allies_

Lucifer was riding down the well traveled road, planning to ride all night until she came to an inn. She had heard rumors of a group of brigands that had been attacking travelers, and she did not want to be one of those travelers. Lucifer removed her helm, allowing her long blue hair to flow down her back. Cadoc, Lucifer's horse, seemed indifferent to the darkness. Lucifer had been trained as a knight be constantly vigilant, no matter the time of day. Lucifer was born and raised in the country of Illia, which was renowned for it's mercenary knights. Lucifer was nothing more than a mercenary, albeit a proper one.

Lucifer was staring ahead intently, looking for an inn. She had the money to afford one, but when she needed it, she couldn't find one . There was a clamor nearby, however. Lucifer stopped Cadoc and listened intently, and was able to make out the sounds of combat, as well as yelling and screaming that could only belong the bandits. Someone was being attacked! Lucifer urged her horse forward towards the source of the noise, which seemed to be coming from up ahead. She came to a stop to see bandits raid someone's belongings. Armor was strewn throughout the clearing, as well as a bow and arrows.

A little further on, she saw a man was lying by as boulder, blood pouring from his chest. Two of the brigands were leaning over him. That was when Lucifer noticed the seven bodies lying around with various stab wounds. This man had gone down fighting. Wait…the man was still moving, though very little. He was still alive! She had to save him! Lucifer dismounted, drawing her lance as she did so.

She charged towards the small camp and stopped as one of the brutes noticed her. He lumbered towards her, waving his axe. "You'd better shove off if you know what's good for you! You'll end up like him, you-" He was cut off as Lucifer stabbed him in the stomach, twisted it viciously, then pulled it out. The bandit fell forward without a word and lay sprawled in the dirt. The other Brigands had seen this, and were rushing towards Lucifer, screaming for blood. There was a whirl of movement and two more bodies joined those on the ground. The remaining Bandits, perhaps realizing that they were in over their heads with this knight, quickly vanished into the surrounding forest like the cowards they were. Lucifer made sure they were gone, then turned her attention towards the fallen knight. He was barely alive, gasping for breath, clutching what appeared to be a necklace. He grasped his free hand, willing the man to stay alive. He looked to be about one year younger than herself, who was 18. His brown hair was matted with blood, where it looked like he had hit the rock.

The young man's eyes were glazed over, and he seemed unable to speak. Seeing a knight in this condition tore her heart apart. Lucifer had a hard time seeing people be hurt and killed, and not be able to do anything about it. The knight seemed to know she was there, and weakly squeezed her hand. He stopped moving, his breathing ceased.

"No...no ,you will not die! Not after what you did to them! Come on…please…"She could not awaken him. She felt so horrible, not being able to save him. Lucifer stood, and thought about where to bury him…The knight deserved to be buried at least. She began to walk toward Cadoc when there was a flash of bright light behind her. She spun around gripping her lance tightly. The knight, who had just passed away… he was glowing with a divine light….

A voice seemed to echo down from the heavens as the light intensified. _"My dear follower… a bestow upon you my divine strength… so that you may go forth and eradicate the evil from these lands. Go now, and awaken!!_ The light seemed to engulf the young knight, while Lucifer watched unable to comprehend what she was seeing. The light faded, and it was a minute or two before Lucifer was actually able to see anything. She looked where the knight was and was stunned.

Where the knight was, there now rest someone in white and gold armor. It was fully encasing, hiding the face of the knight with a full face visor. His sword, which had been a simple iron sword, was now a gleaming , golden work of art. It was long as his other sword, but much more ornate. She knelt down to him to examine the armor. It was pure white , with the edges trimmed gold. Behind the visor, nothing was visible. There was something even more amazing…the guy was breathing!! It was impossible!

Suddenly, the young knight opened his eyes, which rested on Lucifer for a minute. Then he spoke: "Who _are_ you?"


	3. A new friend

Chapter 3 _A New friend_

Lucifer couldn't belief her ears. This guy had just asked her who she was, while he should be asking _himself _that question! The knight, who had just now realized what he was wearing, had sat up and was examining himself, utterly dumbfounded. He seemed amazed at the armor he was wearing, but even more amazed that he was alive at all.

Jake heard a voice echoing from a distance, but was unable to discern the meaning. Suddenly, a bright light shone down upon him, and he heard the voice clearly this time: _My dear follower…I bestow upon you my divine strength… so that you may go forth and eradicate the evil from these lands. Go now, and awaken!!" _ Was there really someone speaking to him? It didn't matter, he had been killed…killed by a bandit. What a pathetic way for a knight to die. He was drifting…drifting away into the darkness….

The first thing Jake noticed was the sound of footsteps. He didn't know where they were coming from, but he wasn't sure if he was imagining it or not. He tried to move his arms, but to no avail. He opened his eyes to see that it was still night time but the clearing was much darker due to the fact that the fire was almost dead. Dead…it wasn't a word Jake would ever throw around so lightly again. Wait…_was _he dead? And if he wasn't, how was this possible? He would have to get to the bottom of this.

Jake saw a female cavalier a few feet away, staring at him. She was wearing blue armor to match her hair, and her eyes seemed glued to him. She seemed to be of equal age to himself, which was not unusual for a new knight. They were a midnight black, and seemed to enrapture him…. He shook himself mentally and chastised himself for being stupid. He asked the cavalier, "Who are you?" The woman seemed even more astounded to hear him speak, which confused Jake to no end. Why was she this confused? It wasn't as though he had come back from the dead…was it?

Jake sat up and saw that he was wearing armor…which was odd, considering he hadn't been wearing any .He examined himself and was wondering if he was seeing things. He was wearing what appeared to be the finest armor, pure white, wrought with gold. He just then realized he was wearing a helmet. He grasped it, and pulled it off.

Cold night air assaulted his face as he picked himself off the ground. He felt like one of those fancy knights from the castles . The armor covered his entire body, unlike his other armor. He looked around for his sword, and saw one sitting by the nearly dead fire, flickering in the dim light. He picked it up, His eyes widening as he realized that the sword was just as ornate as the armor. The blade was pure white, with golden symbols running up the blade. He looked more closely at the blade, and was able to make out the words : _ Knight of St. Elemine._

Jake realized that something strange was going on. He walked towards the girl again asking her, "Who are you?" The girl seemed to regain her composure, as she started getting over her initial shock.

"I am Lucifer, a mercenary knight from Illia. There is one thing I must ask you…what the hell just happened to you?"She asked him. She put her lance away and sat down, trying to revive the fire. Jake sat down also, trying to think of a suitable response to her question. He was about to answer when she spoke again. "Also, you haven't told me who you are…." She said with a small smile. That was one request that Jake could fulfill easily.

"I'm Jake . I'm a mercenary knight . At least, I thought I was…I just don't know anymore." Jake said sadly. He moved to the remnants of his bags and began searching them, looking for Uther's note. To his utter horror, it was gone! The bandits must have taken it, in hopes of getting paid. He had to get it back! He desperately needed that money. Jake gathered up what was left of his belongings, threw them into his bag. He began to walk away from the fire, when a hand touched his shoulder. He spun around, sword whistling through the air. There was a clang as the sword connected with Lucifer's lance. There was an awkward silence .

Jake finally lowered his sword, sheathing it. "I'm really sorry. I'm still a little paranoid since the bandit attacks, so next time, please don't sneak up on me like that." Lucifer put her lance away, also looking apologetic.

"Well, where do you plan on going from here? You don't really have anywhere to go, and you just got robbed." Lucifer asked him, glancing at the debris that lay around her.

"First, I have to get back what was stolen from me. It was too valuable to let it go, so I'm going to track down those bandits. Then I have to deliver it to marquess Darin. I don't know what I'll do after that." Jake began to walk away, leaving the glow of the fire behind.

"Wait! If you're going after those bandits, do you mind if I come? I'm sure you could use the company." Lucifer said, smiling slightly.

"Suit yourself. It doesn't bother me much. It would be nice to talk to someone for a change instead of being alone all the time." Jake smiled. It really would be nice to talk to someone, instead of spending his time in isolation.

The two of them set out that night. As they talked, Jake was pleased to learn that Lucifer was also a mercenary, albeit a professional one. She was from Illia, a country known for it's mercenaries. She was down south, looking for a contract, but had been unsuccessful at finding one. At that point, she had happened across Jake, who was close to death. Since then, Lucifer had decided to join Jake, in hopes of finding work with him.

Jake knew that it was a lucky night for himself, as he had found a new friend.


	4. The thief

_Disclaimer: I do not own Fire emblem, and even though I wish I did, I don't, which sucks. _

Chapter 4: Revenge

Jake and Lucifer both made their way towards to supposed Bandit stronghold. They had stopped at a nearby village and paid for some information (Lucifer paid, he was broke) and now they were on the way to retrieving the scroll Uther had given Jake. It was imperative that the scroll be retrieved and that he is paid. They had been traveling for three days now, and had seen not even a single building. Jake was beginning to think that he had wasted his time. He and Lucifer stopped moving and looked around, noting how there was a small hole in the earth. Amid the rolling hills and trees that dotted the landscapes, this large hole stuck out, easily noticeable.

"Is this it?"Jake asked, kneeling down and examining the hole. It was wide enough for a large man to slide down into it, and Jake could see for maybe 30 feet before everything was darkness.

"Yeah, that is the entrance, but don't tell me you're going down there…you'd be committing suicide."Jake looked up at the sound of the voice, and saw a man there, cloaked in red. He was grinning in a mischievous way. "That's the bandit's hideout, but without a guide, you'll probably get killed by the traps down there. "

"Yeah? And who would you be?" Jake grunted. He didn't like the fact that this guy had just butted in on their business. Even worse, this guy looked like a thief.

I would be Matthew. I had seen you talking to lord Uther, and he sent me to keep an eye on you. He feared for your safety when he had seen the condition you had come to him in. Obviously, he had nothing to fear. I do wonder how you came about that armor though…. Did you-"

Jake cut him off with his own question. "Wait, are you saying Uther sent you to spy on me? If you were watching me, how come you didn't help me when I was fighting those bandits? If you would have helped, I might have stood a chance!" Jake's voice rose to a near shout.

Matthew looked taken aback for a moment, but looked slightly sorry. "I apologize for my lateness, but I was trailing behind you by a few days. It was just now that I had caught up to you. I wish to offer you my services… at least for a price." He grinned. He whipped a dagger into the air and caught it.

_ Showoff._ Jake sighed as he though it over. He turned towards Lucifer, who had been watching this exchange with interest. "Well? What do you think? I don't really trust him. He seems too shifty."

Lucifer thought for a moment, then walked over to Matthew, who was still fiddling with his dagger. "Well, we need someone to help us navigate the caves. What's your price/ please don't ask for too much… We are low on money." Lucifer put a bit of a pleading edge to her voice, and Jake had to suppress a grin. She sure knew how to make people feel guilty.

Matthew looked amused. He sheathed his dagger as he turned to Lucifer. "I am so sorry to hear that. If your sooooo poor, then you won't mind me traveling with you and receiving payment later, right?" He grinned as he turned towards Jake. "I must say, your friend is so persuasive. I like that. I'll guide you through these caverns, mainly because you need to get that note back."

"Wait, how did you know about that note? Uther never told anyone about that." Jake asked, instantly suspicious. Matthew raised an eyebrow, then Jake remembered what Matthew had told him. "Oh, right, sorry…."

"Well, now that that's taken care of, I say we get going. Sooner or later, the bandits will know we're here. We need to go all the way to the bottom of this shaft. There, we'll need to evade all the traps set up." He peered down the hole for a sec, while Jake was thinking about all this.

"Hold on now. How do you know all this about the bandit's hideout? Have you been there before?" Jake asked him, also looking down the hole.

"Yes, I would also like to know." Lucifer said as she stared at Matthew. He looked up to see both Jake and Lucifer looking at him questioningly. He gave then a sly look and said,

"Well, it used to be a hideout of mine, so that's why I know the caves so well. If you want to get past the traps, then you'll need my help. Well, let's go." With that, Matthew began climbing down the hole, quickly disappearing.

"Listen. This is my problem, and you don't have to come along. If you want to back out, you should do so now." Jake said to Lucifer, who shook her head.

"Not gonna happen. Not after what happened to you with those bandits. I'm coming to help you, then do whatever you do after that. Trust me, you'll be glad to have me sooner or later." She said with a smile. She climbed down the hole after Matthew, leaving Jake alone on the surface. He sighed, mumbling to himself, and climbed down himself. It was time to put this new power into action!


	5. The caves

_Disclaimer: I do not own Fire emblem, and even though I wish I did, I don't, which sucks. _

Chapter 5 : The caves

Jake climbed down the tunnel for what seemed like hours, but finally touched down on uneven ground. He saw Lucifer with a torch, Matthew nearby, grinning slightly. "Well, that took you long enough. I was beginning to think you chickened out. Well, let's get started." Mathew pulled out one of his daggers and started down the tunnel, almost leaving Jake in near darkness. He hurried to catch up to the others, not wanting to be left behind.

"How many do you think there are?"Jake asked Lucifer who was examining their surroundings.

"Hopefully, not many. If we encounter them in these caves, we can bottleneck them and kill them single file .Otherwise, it will be hard to win with our numbers." Lucifer said bluntly. This had not been the answer Jake had wanted. His armor was emitting a faint white glow, which was lighting up the cave slightly. There was silence for a while, while Matthew led them through the caves.

After about ten minutes, Jake saw a small light up ahead. Lucifer walked in front of Matthew to get a better look, when Matthew shouted, "No stop!!" There was the smallest clicking sound, then an explosion rocked the cave. Boulders fell from above as the cave collapsed. Jake threw himself out of the way, but a boulder hit him and pinned his arm to the floor. He covered his head with his free arm and waited for it to stop. The rumbling stopped and silence filled the cave.

Jake lifted his head and saw nothing but dust and dirt. He tried to lift his arm up, but saw it was pinned by a large rock. With great difficulty, Jake pushed the rock off of himself and got to his feet, slightly dizzy. His armor seemed to have protected him from falling debris, but Lucifer and Matthew were nowhere to be seen. An eerie silence filled the remnants of the tunnel as Jake searched.

"Lucifer? Matthew? Are you guys ok?" Jake dared called out, praying that no bandits had heard him. This struck him as stupid, as with all the racket the cave in had just caused. There was the sound of falling rocks off to his right as Matthew rose out of the dust, coughing.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Where is Lucifer? I don't see her anywhere…"Matthews trailed off as he began sifting through the rubble. Jake saw a blue gauntlet sticking out from under a particularly large pile of rubble. He called Matthew as he began excavating Lucifer out from under the rocks. He slowly exposed her arm, her head , then Jake pulled her out. She was conscious , but dazed. Jake helped Lucifer to her feet, but she was leaning heavily on him.

"Hey, is she alright?" Matthew asked, looking concerned. Lucifer seemed unsure where they were for a moment, then seemed to collect herself.

" Yes, I'll live. I think my leg is broken though. I can't put any weight on it." When Lucifer spoke, her voice was racked with pain. Jake immediately knelt down and examined her leg. Sure enough, there was an obvious break point in the bone, possibly the result of the cave in .

"I can fix this, but it's going to hurt like holy hell. You had best sit down, while I prepare."Jake was pulling bandages out of his bag and making materials for a cast. " I wish I knew how to take this armor off, so that I can have better mobility for this…"Jake thought as he worked. There was a brief flash of heat that ran through his body, and a fear seized him for some reason. The heated disappeared, and Jake felt a lot lighter.

"Wow, You can make the armor disappear at will. I'm impressed." Matthew said, looking impressed.

Jake took a look at himself and sure enough, he was dressed in the clothes he had been wearing before he had gotten the armor. He felt much better to be in his old clothes, and the increased mobility would allow him to perform this operation without any problem. Jake looked towards Lucifer, who was gritting her teeth in pain. Jake felt terrible, and was going to try to make this as quickly as possible.

Jake pulled up Lucifer pant leg up to her knee, then checked to see if Lucifer was ready. Matthew had given something for Lucifer to bite down on, so she wouldn't scream from the pain . "Ok, Are you ready? Three…two…one…"_CRACK ._There was a muffled scream from Lucifer as Jake snapped the bone back into place. She was taking deep breathes, shaking violently. Jake gripped her hand tightly, trying to calm her down. Lucifer sat up, spitting out whatever Matthew had given her. She sat there, breathing heavily as Jake strapped her leg up with a makeshift splint. When he was finished, he helped Lucifer to her feet.

"Thank you so much. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been here. I might have been captured but the bandits, or killed. I don't know how to thank you."Lucifer said, Gratitude filling her voice.

"Ah, it was no problem. Anything for a you walk? I want to get out of here before the bandits catch us.' Jake said pulling Lucifer to her feet.

Lucifer gripped her lance, face pale from the pain, but her leg was feeling better. "yes, we need to needto get that scroll back. Come on, let's go."Lucifer said as she set off for the small light filtering through the tunnel. Matthew and Jake both followed her, but Something was nagging at Jake. "What the hell was that that caused the cave in. I heard a clicking sound, then the roof came down."

"It was a trip line, rigged to explosives. I tried to tell you, but it was too late. The explosives had destroyed part of the ceiling, causing it to come down. Most likely a trap set by the bandits." He scowled as the light grew group stepped into what appeared to be some kind of large room… and it was full of men with axes.

The Bandit, sitting on a makeshift throne, noticed the group, but he noticed Jake's determined face blanched as he shouted to the rest of the group in the room "KILL THEM ALL! TEAR THEM TO PIECES!" The bandits all rushed at them, axes all raised.

Jake turned to Lucifer and Matthew. "Are you ready?" They both nodded, Matthew had both his daggers out, Lucifer her lance. With a war cry, Jake charged forward.


	6. Uncontrollable rage

_Disclaimer: I do not own Fire emblem, and even though I wish I did, I don't, which sucks. _

Chapter 6: Uncontrollable rage.

Jake ducked a wild swing from a brigand and retaliated with a slash of his own. The man fell to the ground, blood pouring out of his back. Lucifer was alongside him, decapitating opponents and disabling others. Jake tripped one brigand that had been charging at him, and the guy fell onto Lucifer's lance. Jake took a look around during a brief reprieve from combat.

Lucifer was engaged with two bandits, who obviously had no real experience in combat. Matthew was dancing around a brigand, laughing as the bandit failed time and time again to hit him. Suddenly the ax fell on Matthew, an expression of shock on his face. The bandit grinned as Matthew sank to his knees. Jake tore through two bandits as he felt the hot sensation fill his body: the armor had returned. Jake grabbed another brigand by the neck and threw him with all his might. The man sailed across the room and crashed into the wall. The remaining bandits fled before the onslaught, some screaming that an angel had come to strike them down.

Jake was almost to Matthew, who was lying face down on the floor, when Matthews killer turned towards him. At that moment, Matthew leapt to his feet, much to the astonishment of Jake and Lucifer. He tossed one his daggers up into the air, while stabbing the brigand from behind. The man staggered, and Jake pointed upwards. The bandit looked straight up, only to have Matthews other dagger impale him in the eye. The man fell forward and lay still upon the floor.

Jake was about to ask Matthew how he was alive when there was a scuffling up by the throne and everyone turned to see the lead brigand trying to flee. Jake flung his dagger at the man, and it found its mark. The dagger stabbed and pinned the bandits hand to the wall. The man cried out in pain and fear, as Jake, Lucifer and Matthew approached him.

"No…No you're dead! I killed you myself! No, this can't be! Noooooooooooooo!!!!!!" The Bandit screamed, trying to remove himself from the wall with no success. Jake removed the dagger, but not before twisting it violently, causing the man to scream out in pain. Jake grabbed the bandit by the throat and pinned him against the wall, feeling angrier than he had ever been.

"Where is it?" Jake hissed, his helm almost touching the man's face. The bandit stared back defiantly.

"I don't know what you're talking about."The man spat. Jake punched the man in the face and removed his helmet, dropping it on the floor. He glared at the bandit, who just saw the shade of something behind Jake's eyes…something that drove fear down into him…deep into his heart. It was the shadow something that hadn't been seen on Elibe for a very long time….

The bandit panicked, spewing out random information. Jake felt a surge of hatred that was unexplainable…he had never felt this way before in his life…it was as though something was controlling his actions. However, the bandit shouted that the scroll was on the floor next to the throne. With great difficulty, Jake let go of the man, who crumpled on the floor cowering. What was that unexplainable rage? It was though a pissed off dragon had reared its ugly head.

Jake turned towards Lucifer who was pale and even Matthew, who wasn't fazed by much, was looking completely unnerved. Jake quickly sifted through the bag. He found the scroll, as well as a substantial amount of gold. He took both, then walked over to where Lucifer and Matthew both stood.

"How are you alive? I saw the axe come down on your shoulder, and I thought you were a goner." Jake said to Matthew, who was regaining his composure.

"A thief is prepared for anything."Matthew grinned as he moved his collar to reveal a small metal plate on his shoulder, a deep cut where the axe had cut into it, leaving Matthew unharmed. Jake smiled as Matthew replaced his cloaks collar.

"What should we do with him?" Lucifer asked pointing in the direction of the bandit who was attempting to crawl away unnoticed. Jake strode over to the bandit and, first picking his helmet up, grabbed the man by the scruff of his neck, causing him to squeal. Jake thought for a moment, then dropped the man, tied him up, then turned towards his two companions.

We'll turn him in at Laus. That isn't too far away, and it's where I'm headed. Maybe we can get some reward money." Jake said smiling slightly.

"Plus you can pay me back too!" Matthew said grinning. He pulled his daggers out of the fallen bandit, wiped them off and sheathed them. Jake threw the bandit over his shoulder and set off for a ladder that must lead to the surface. Lucifer climbed up the ladder, making slow progress because of her broken leg. Matthew went next, scaling the ladder like a monkey. Jake then climbed up himself, moving slow because of the brigand he was carrying.

He emerged outside and immediately dumped the bandit on the ground. He stared around them, and saw that it was dusk. He began setting up camp with the help of Matthew: Lucifer was sitting on the ground trying to ease the pain in her leg. Soon they had a good fire going. Jake served out some food, and then sat by Lucifer. Jake had figured out how to remove his armor at will, and how to call it forth. He had practiced for a while and now had the hang of it.

"Hey, I've been wanting to ask you something. Back when you were facing that bandit…what happened? I felt a strange power emanating from you. But the thing was, it was terrifying…like it wanted to destroy everything. I was truly scared of you…and we didn't know what to do. Then it vanished…just like that! Please, I need to know what happened." Lucifer said, worry filling her voice.

Jake buried his face in his hands as he tried to think. Whathad happened? Jake sighed as he lifted his face to look at Lucifer. "I really don't know…it was as though I wanted to rip the guy in half. I had never felt that way before, even when Lord Darin tried to force me to kill people. It…it was as though a dragon had reared its head, and I was the output for its rage. It scared me. It was like something else was controlling my actions…" His voice trailed off as he pulled a pendant from under his shirt and gripped it tightly, his eyes closed.

"What's that? You're Elemine necklace?" Lucifer asked Jake.

Jake opened his eyes and smiled slightly, the pendant lying in his open hand. It looked like a fang that greatly resembled a dragon's. "This was a pendant my mother gave me. She said it was a fang from a dragon she had helped. The dragon had thanked her by giving her the fang. I don't really believe that though…dragons haven't existed on Elibe for hundreds of years. She probably made that up to remind me of her." Jake said, now smiling as he tucked the fang away.

"So what happened to your mother and father?" Matthew asked, cleaning his dagger. He had been doing something by his bedroll while Jake and Lucifer talked.

"My father was a knight before me. He was killed while helping a village fight off bandits. My mother…my mother died of an unexplainable sickness. I was trying to make my father proud by becoming a knight… and when Darin…" Jake trailed off again as he found it difficult to speak. Matthew patted him on the shoulder sympathetically, and Lucifer put her arms around Jake comfortingly. Matthew walked back to the fire and though about all that he had learned.

The next day, the small group set out for Laus. It wasn't a long trip, and soon they came to a village somewhat close to castle Laus. Castle Laus was about a week away. The bandit had been trying fruitlessly to escape, but stopped when Jake dropped him and kicked him. He fell quiet after this.

As Jake , Lucifer and Matthew neared the gate, two Laus soldiers barred their path. "What business do you have here?" One of the knights asked gruffly.

"We have a gift for the magistrate of this village." Jake said, motioning to the bandit slung over his shoulder. The soldier looked at the brigand for a minute, then motioned them through. Jake headed for the magistrates house, then pounded on the door. There was a noise of someone tripping over a chair, then the door opened, revealing a rather short man with a mustache .

"What is going on here? Who are you? And who is that?" The man asked looking utterly confused.

"Sir, we are traveling mercenaries. We want you to know that the Dark Blades will trouble you no more. I have captured the leader and brought him to you, to do with as you wish." Jake said bowing, dropping the bandit in the process. The Magistrate looked dumbfounded for a few moments, then called for Laus soldiers to take care of the bandit. The Village leader thanked him profusely, and insisted that Jake take the reward money of 10000 gold. Jake declined, saying it was too much, and ended up walking away with half.

Jake paid Lucifer back the money he owed her, as well as Matthew, then prepared to face Lord Darin. Matthew on the other hand, was preparing to go his own way.

"Matthew, where are you off to?" Lucifer asked Matthew. He jangled the money in his pocket grinning as he did so.

"I'm off to report to Lord Uther. My job was to make sure you got to Laus in one piece. I also got paid. I have to let Uther know what transpired. I'm sure we'll meet again. Well, so long." Matthew gave them a wave. Jake blinked, and Matthew had disappeared.

"Huh, looks like we're on our own again Lucifer." Jake said, making his way to a tavern for the night. Lucifer smiled as they reached the inn. It would be nice to sleep on a bed instead of the ground.


	7. The Black Fang

Chapter 7 : The Black Fang

Jake and Lucifer had been traveling for almost a week now, an d they could see Laus castle. There had been no travelers on the road for some time now and if it wasn't for Lucifer, Jake would have started to feel very lonely. He and Lucifer both talked about how they were trained, and what life was like where each other came from.

Soon they were within sight of Laus castle and Jake began to feel uneasy. Lucifer rode her horse up to the gates while Jake jogged alongside her. As the pair neared the gates, a knight standing guard noticed them. He stared in jakes direction, then laughed. He lowered his weapon and approached Jake and Lucifer, who looked confused.

"Ah, Jake you scoundrel! You _would _return to Laus after all this time. How sad. I wonder if Lord Darin will forgive someone as worthless as you and-" He was cut off as Jake interrupted him.

Jake was barely holding his temper in check as he had to stop himself from punching the man in the face. Once again Jake felt that strange rage steal over him. Jake closed his eyes for a moment trying to control his rage. He opened them to see the knight smirking. "I am here as a messenger…nothing more."Jake said, still trying to suppress the rage. Perhaps the knight knew what going to happen, because he opened the gate without another word.

Jake strode through the gates as he ran a hand through his hair. What the hell was happening? Lucifer laid a hand on his arm, giving him a worried look.

"it's happening again, isn't it?" Lucifer asked softly.

"Yeah…I'm ok…it's no big deal. I'll be alright."Jake said holding his face in his hand. The anger faded to nothing as he took several deep breathes trying to steady himself. When he felt up to it, jake began walking towards the entrance hall that led to the throne hall. Lucifer was staying close to him in case he needed help. Jake pushed the door the hall opened, then stepped inside with Lucifer close behind him.

Several knights and servant were walking around the hall, performing various tasks. Jake walked past nearly all of them, when someone stepped in his path, sword drawn. "So you've decided to return have you? Lord Darin had just sent me out to kill you. So, we can just resolve this here!Draw you're weapon!" The knight shouted, taking a defensive stance.

"I'd rather not fight you Raurin. You and I have know each other for a long time." Jake said drawing his own sword and taking a defensive stance. Raurin roared as he charged at jake who parried Raurin's sword, then replied with blows of his own. The two were evenly matched, blow for blow. All movement in the room had stopped, watching the epic battle between former comrades.

It was almost ten minutes into the battle, and Jake had made no headway. His frustration was mounting and he was beginning to feel a familiar rage begin to creep into his mind. All he had was several scratches that were near misses. Raurin threw his sword at Jake who had to dive out of the way to avoid it. When he got to his feet, Raurin tackled him and pinned to the floor . Raurin whipped out his knife and stabbed towards Jakes face. Jake grabbed Raurin's arm and tried to push him back. It was no use…Raurin was managing to push the dagger closer and closer to Jakes face.

Jake saw Lucifer running to help him, buy Raurin was grinning. He kicked Jake to the side and flung his dagger at her, grabbing his sword as he did so. Lucifer parried the sword with her lance, but that one minute distraction gave Raurin the chance he needed. He swung his sword in a arc and hit Lucifer in the side of the head with the flat of the blade, sending her crumpling to the floor.

Jake had gotten to his feet and had seen Lucifer fall. He stood there stunned for a minute, in shock. Something snapped in his mind as he walked slowly towards Raurin, who was grinning. "Ha!. Now we can fight one on one. No interference." He said, picking up his dagger and sheathing it. He took a defensive stance as Jake slowly walked towards him.

Raurin roared as he attacked Jake again, but was stunned when Jake caught the blade with his hand. He looked into Jake's eyes and saw they were fiery red. Raurin suddenly felt weak as Jake twisted the sword away and grabbed Raurin by the neck and lifted him into the air.

"_**You shall die here today!"**_ Jake roared, drawing his arm back and throwing Raurin with more force than he had ever mustered. Raurin flew across the room and hit the wall with a loud crunch and hit the floor and did not move. Jake spun around to face a rush of oncoming soldiers, and gave them a twisted smile…this was going to be fun….

Legault watched this interesting development from a balcony above. This indeed was interesting. H e had seen this young knight fight before, but never with such violence. Something caught Legault's eye and upon closer inspection it was Jake's pendant. The fang was glowing as Jake massacred countless knights, apparently oblivious to what he was doing. _That fang must have something to do with his condition…. _Legault thought as a light began to form around Jake as he cleaved a man clean in half. Jake suddenly stared in his direction, which sent chills down his spine. His eyes were red and slited…Legault put a hand on one of his daggers and quickly made his way out of the room. That boy would make a great asset for the black fang.

Jake was about to execute a cowering knight when a voice rang out, shaking the entire room. Jake stopped in mid-swing and looked up. _What are you doing?!This power is consuming you! The power and rage Is not yet controllable! You must resist it my son…fight the overflowing hatred!_ The light faded, and Jake fell to his knees. The hatred vanished leaving Jake feeling exhausted as though he had not slept for days. He struggled to his feet and slowly walked over to where Lucifer was lying. The knight had scrambled to his feet

He knelt down and shook here gently, hoping she would wake. She didn't, and fear seized his heart. If she was dead…

"What is all this racket?" Jake froze as he unsteadily got to his feet. He turned and saw Lord Darin standing in the doorway to the throne room. He eyed all of his dead knights, and that's when Jake looked around himself. What he saw made him sick. He was surrounded by 40 to 50 dead bodies …all of the bearing the same sword strokes. Jake then looked at the sword in his hand and saw to his horror that it was drenched in blood.

Darin seemed amused at the room full of dead bodies. He walked towards Jake his footsteps extremely heavy due to the heavy armor he was wearing. "So…what brings a deserter like you back to my castle?" Darin asked smirking.

"I have a message from Marquess Ostia. He sent me to deliver it." Jake said pulling the scroll from his bag. He threw it at Darin, who caught it. He read it. Then folded it and put it away. He contemplated Jake for a minute then turned his back to him.

"Very well. You may leave. Get your payment from Lord Uther. I have nothing more to say." Darin said walking back into the throne room. Jake knew better than to expect to get anything from Darin. Jake picked up Lucifer's light body and began to walk out of the castle.

Darin made his way to the throne, where his mage general waited. "Tell the knights to make sure that he never makes it out of Laus alive ."Marquess Laus said with a nasty grin. His mage nodded and began sending out order telepathically to the other mages in the area. That rogue knight was a goner.

Jake had just made it outside when he heard the sounds of approaching cavalry. He peered out from the main gate and saw Laus's cavalry approaching at a high speed. _Damn .I should have know not to trust Darin .I have my back to a wall .I can't get out of this!_ Jake thought. He looked for a place to go, but didn't see an escape route. Plus he was carrying Lucifer, so his speed was hampered.

Jake was beginning to panic when a robed man with his face hidden by a hood appeared out of nowhere in front of him. "If you value your life as well as that of your companion, then you'll follow me!" the stranger said. His face was hidden behind a mask, and all that Jake could see was his violet eyes. Jake didn't have much of a choice in the matter. He heard the castle gates behind him slam open and the heavy thudding of knights in armor. He nodded, and the Stranger nodded in response. He put two fingers to his mouth and whistled really loud and really long. There was a moment of silence, then a man screamed.

All around him, men in black were appearing and attacking the Laus soldiers. The cavaliers who within javelin range of Jake fell from their horses, arrows protruding from their chests. Jake didn't even see where the arrows came from ! Everywhere, chaos had erupted and Jake followed the stranger out of the gates, barely keeping up with him. A knight that hadn't been attacked aimed a blow at the stranger. Before Jake could do anything, there was a flash of blades and the cavalier fell from his horse, many slashed in his armor and on his face.

The stranger proceeded without another word. Soon, Jake had been led away from the fighting and into a forest. That was when the stranger finally stopped. "Are you and your companion unharmed?" The man asked beginning to remove his hood.

"Yeah. Thanks to you, we made it out somehow. Who do we have to thank for the rescue?" Jake asked setting Lucifer down on the ground. He checked her and found that she was still alive. He straightened up to see the mask fall to the ground and the hood fall. The man had violet hair, with a black headband on. He has a long scar running down the right side of his face, and the air of someone that liked sneaking around (like Matthew).

"I am Legault, otherwise known as the hurricane. Those men that came to your aid were-"He was cut off as Lucifer groaned. Jake knelt down by her face as she opened her eyes.

"Where am I?" Lucifer asked weakly.

"Somewhere safe. A man and some organization saved us from Darin's goons. We should be safe for now. So…how's your head?" Jake asked with a grin.

"Ha ha ha your very funny. Ugh… I just need to sleep and then I should be fine."Lucifer said sitting up, looking dizzy.

"As I was saying," Legault said, walking closer to them, "I am a member of the Black fang, a league of assassins. We only kill those that deserve it. We've seen your prowess in battle, and also that you are tight on money. We would like to extend an invitation to join the Black fang. You would be welcomed with open arms as family. Would you like to join us?" Legault asked extending his hand.

"What do you think we should do?" Jake asked Lucifer. He would like to join them and make a difference in the world eliminating corrupt politicians that were starving the poor.

"I think it's a good idea. One you'll be safe from Darin's goons, and two we'll have plenty of money. I say yes." Lucifer said struggling to her feet.

"Ok then Legault. We're in." Jake said shaking his hand.


	8. A new life

_Author's note: sorry about the title. Couldn't think of a better one. Oh well, _

Chapter 8: A New life.

It had been several days since they had met Legault, and apparently he was taking them to The Dread isle. Jake had not approved of this at first, remembering that the island was supposedly haunted. Legault had dismissed this by saying that the black fang had spread these rumors around to ward off potetial trespassers . On Dread isle was the Black Fangs home base, and also where what was called the dragon's gate was held.

Now Jake and Lucifer were on a small boat on their way to the island, talking to Legault about what to do when they got there. Legault was explaining what they would have to wear, as well as the code of the Black Fang(Rules and Such).

"Now, when we get there I shall introduce you to Brendan reed…The leader of the four fangs as well as the Black fang itself." Legault said as he rowed. Jake was absorbing everything that Legault told him. He only had one question.

"If you seen me fighting the soldiers, tell me what happened? I don't remember what happened. I saw Lucifer get hit…then everything after that was a blank ." He looked at Legault.

" I won't lie. If was scary. You started glowing and I felt an unbelievable power. Your pendant started to glow, then you went on a rampage. You slaughtered about 40 soldiers, and claim to not remember it? This will have to be looked into. You can rest assured, we will get to the bottom of this. Ah, we're here. I will lead you to the base, where you shall speak to Brendan. He will let you be a member, just he may question you because of your age. " Legault told Lucifer and Jake as they disembarked. " I will attest to your skills. My information is quite credible." Legault said.

"Are there some people you can introduce me to? I would like to try to make some friends while I'm in the Black Fang." Jake said as they walked through the thickening fog. He was trying to make conversation as they made towards the Base : the fog was making Jake feel very uneasy.

"Oh yes. I'm sure you and the Reed brothers will get along just fine." Legault said smiling slightly. This made Jake feel slightly nervous as Lucifer laughed.

"Ah, you must be Jake and Lucifer. I have heard much about you from my spies. I wish to welcome you to the Black Fang and to introduce you to my sons." The Man in front of Jake said. Legault had led them through some forest to a ruin that was a converted base. The man in front of Jake bore many scars and was huge, larger than Jake and Lucifer together. And yet, he seemed like the nicest guy in the world. "The man on the right is Lloyd, and on the left in Linus. Both are members of the Four Fangs : The elite of the Black Fang."

Jake could see why he would get along with Lloyd. He seemed like a cheery guy that never stopped smiling. He had the build of a lithe and agile sword fighter. He had a long thin sword at his waist. Linus on the other hand was a bit larger and more heavily built. He had a sword and shield across his back and smiled at the new recruit standing before him. Jake would definitely be able to get along with these guys. He had pictured ruthless assassin's that would rip his throat out for talking. These guys seemed great! He looked at Lucifer and they both grinned at each other. This was going to be a blast!

Matthew strode down the long hall towards Marques Ostia's throne room. He had much information to relay, especially about Jake. He barged into the throne room without knocking. Uther looked up from some notes he was reading and looked surprised. "Matthew. This is a surprise! Normally you don't barge in here like this. What could possibly be the matter?" Uther said looking worried.

Matthew gave a quick bow and started up immediately on his story. Uther was quiet for the entire telling, except to occasionally ask a question. When Matthew finished, Uther looked grave. " He took out 40 of Laus's knights on his own and does not remember it? This is the one. I would alert Lord Pherae, but he departed for a meeting somewhere. Someone must know. This child is half Dragon."

"It would explain the strange rage ha has been having recently. He was the greatest guy in the world. Maybe if he knew himself, he could find a way to control the power."Matthew asked, looking nervous.

"Maybe. We shall see." Uther said and leaned back in his throne, holding his face in his hand. If that kind of power were to fall into the wrong hands, it could be the end of the world.

Jake smiled when he saw the living quarters he and Lucifer were staying in. It was quite homely, with two beds and drawers, as well as a large window and a dining room. Jake was looking forward to starting his work the next day. Now he _could _make a difference in the world,helping the poor against rich ungiving nobles. Lloyd had showed them to their rooms and given them new clothes and armor. Jake's was kind of the same as his old clothes, but was black and had some light armor attached to it. Lucifer had gotten new armor almost the same as her old armor, but it was also colored black.. Jake thought he looked pretty cool in his new clothes, when Lloyd coughed loudly.

Well, I'm glad to see your liking the accommodations but I will advise you to get some sleep. Tomorrow will be a busy day." He smiled, then shut the door.

"Wow, I can't believe this! This is better than I thought it would be." Jake said ecstatic. Lucifer had laid herself on the bed fully clothed and had already fallen asleep. Jake felt a funny feeling he couldn't pinpoint when he saw her like that, but tried to push it out of his mind. An assassin needs to keep his mind on the job at hand. Jake walked downstairs to find Linus when he heard Lloyd speak. Apparently he was talking to his brother when Jake came down to see them both look up.

"Ah Jake! We were just talking about you." Linus said grinning.

"What about me?" Jake asked as he sat down at a table with them.

Lloyd is going to take you with him tomorrow on his mission, to show you the ropes. If you prove capable enough, You will go up in rank. The higher you are, the greater the assignment and greater the reward." Linus said grinning as he saw excitement light up Jake's face. "Ha, enthusiasm. I like that. Well, you'd best take Lloyd's suggestion and get up to bed. You're going to be up late tomorrow." Jake thanked the brothers for their generosity and headed up to bed. He could hardly wait for tomorrow!

It had been three weeks since Jake had joined the Black fang. He had fulfilled numerous contracts and had become fast friends with the Reed brothers and Ursula, a member of the four fangs. Jake's black armor bore scratches from his few close calls he had had, but had been able to correct. Lucifer had been doing well also. She had just completed her first major contract, which pleased Brendan Reed. He had promoted her to the same rank as Jake, so the two would share assignments from now on. Jake's life had been heaven.

He had just walked in from patrol of the ruins outer reaches when he heard Brendan talking to someone. Jake walked around the corner and saw several figures standing there, talking to Brendan. One in particular seemed to be completely covered in robes with a turban covering one side of his face. He was surrounded by several people. Three of them had black hair and golden eyes that creeped him out. Another one looked like he killed for a living, with red hair and his face covered by a hood. The last one looked like the only normal one there, with bright green hair and eyes. She seemed to be only 15 at the most and was holding the hand of one of the creepy people.

"Well, I don't see why not. Welcome to the Black Fang. We can set up everything at a later time. Ah, Jake! Good timing. I would like to introduce you to Nergal. He just joined the Black Fang as a spell caster. These are his friends. That lady there is Limstella, the other man Ephidel. The other lady is Sonia, my wife. The guy there in the black is Jaffar, trained in the killing arts. Finally the girl is Nino, Sonia's daughter. Nergal, this is the lad I was telling you about. I must attend to some other matters. Get to know each other." With that, Brendan walked away, leaving Jake with Nergal's group.

Nergal was eyeing Jake in a strange way for almost five minutes, while Jake waited for him to say something. Finally, "I would like to get to… know you better. Meet me by the dragon's gate later and we will have small…discussion." Nergal said . With that he disappeared in a flash of light, leaving Jake with Nino and Jaffar. He wondered what Nergal could want with him as he wandered away from Nino and Jaffar without saying a word. He didn't want to say anything to Nino because he thought Jaffar would tear his head off.

"So this Nergal wants to talk to you? Hmmm…well, maybe he wants to learn more about you. I met a man Named Harken who didn't seem to have it all together. He said that Lord Pherae was in danger, but he's here, so he should be safe. Ha, that's odd enough that a Marquess is here at all. Whatever. We will see what he wants." Lucifer said to Jake as they entered the dragons gate. There was Nergal and Limstella, both sitting on one of the many benches in the room. Jake approached Nergal, who gave Jake a twisted smile. "Well, now that we are here, I would like for Limstella to get to know you better…" Nergal said. Limstella was gazing at him ,and Jake seemed unable to look away. He felt his mind haze over and suddenly, his mind blanked out. Limstella strode over to Jake while he stood there, a bemused look on his face. Lucifer had seen him just standing there, and felt something was very wrong.

What Limstella did next completely blew her away. She put her arms around Jake's neck and kissed him full on the mouth. When Lucifer had seen this she grabbed her lance and charged at Limstella, determined to find out what the hell was going on. Nergal pushed her away with a blast, of dark energy, causing Lucifer to land on her back. "Don't worry, Limstella will love to get to know him more…in depth." Nergal began laughing as Lucifer felt a knife stab through her heart. She didn't know what to do. She stormed out of the room as Jake stood there, completely oblivious to what had just happened.


	9. Death and Vengeance

Chapter 9: Death and Vengeance

Lucifer had stormed away and had no idea where she was going. All she knew was that she had to get away and clear her head. She had no feelings for Jake other than friendship…did she? Lucifer would admit that she had felt attached to him since she had first met him. He was a great person that cared for everyone around him. She had liked that and decided to stick with him for a while. He had fixed her leg, which most people wouldn't know how to do. He had shown her kindness, instead of shunning her as most people had because of her being a mercenary. Most mercenaries from Illia were seen as nothing more than money hungry mongrels looking for work. Jake had obviously seen something else in her.

Lucifer knew very well that Jake wouldn't straight up kiss someone like that, much less someone he did not know. Still, it had ripped her heart apart. No…It was that woman. She had done something to him. She didn't think she could do anything to her while Nergal was around. She would look around the dragon's gate while they weren't around. Maybe some answers would await there. With this knowledge in mind, Lucifer had decided to seek out Harken and see if he had any advice. The poor guy looked like he needed company anyway.

Jake strolled out of the dragons gate with one thing on his mind: carry out Limstella's orders. She had ordered him to guard the dragon's gate alongside Lord Darin. Lord Darin had been driven out of Laus by Eliwood and Hector, both lords of the Lycian league. Darin had then invaded Caelin and wounded marquess Caelin. He then abandoned his armies to seek refuge with the Black Fang, who let him in. Jake had been tasked with guarding the dragon's gate with Darin, because apparently Eliwood and his little band of vigilantes were on their way here to destroy the Black Fang. It would still take them a week or two, but he would be ready to destroy them.

Lucifer walked towards the dragon's gate to confront Jake and try to talk some sense into him. She turned the corner and walked right into him. He looked at her for a moment, then walked on as if she wasn't there. "Hey, wait!" Lucifer moved in front of him, barring his path. "What is wrong with you? That woman-" She never finished. Jake had suddenly spun and jammed his arm against Lucifer's throat, pinning her against the wall. With his free hand he had drawn his sword and pressed it against her throat also.

Lucifer froze, and the first thing that ran through her mind was, _I'm going to die here ._Tears ran down her face as she waited for Jake to end her life. Instead, Jake let her fall to the floor while he sheathed his sword. "I will let you live…only because it is against my masters wished to kill you. Stay out of my way!" He snarled. Lucifer stared up into his eyes and saw for the first time that Jake's eyes were golden…the same as those other people that were with Nergal. That proved it! He was under the spell of that woman! Jake strode away as Lucifer got to her feet, tears still in her eyes.

A steely resolution set in…one born from her training as a mercenary. Lucifer wiped the tears away and set out to find Harken. Maybe the man knew something she didn't. Lucifer would get to the bottom of this, one way or another.

"He has fallen under the spell of that woman? These are dark times indeed." Harken said as he sat down next to Lucifer. He was still depressed, as he had been for the last week.

"Dark times? Ha, that's funny. Look where we are. We're assassins. There's nothing darker than an assassin. Anyway there's something I need to ask you. What is in the dragons' gate? I know you've been there a few times. I need to know so I can sneak in there. I need to get to the bottom of my friends bizarre behavior. He almost killed me, but let me live. I need to save him. Please help me!" Lucifer said to Harken, nearly begging.

Harken looked torn up over what he had heard. "In three days, the gate shall be empty, as Nergal and his people will have much to attend to. You can get in there. I will be forced to go with them. Please, when you see Lord Elbert…tell him that Harken is sorry for his poor service to house Pherae ." Harken, said, then left Lucifer to think about what she found out. Lord Elbert? What was Marquess Pherae doing here? Lucifer would have find out.

Three days passed, and Lucifer was ready. She had asked Legault to help, who gladly accepted. He wanted to help Jake as much as Lucifer. They had made sure that there was no one on watch when they snuck up to the gate. Legault picked the lock with his lockpick set that he had he had "borrowed" from a black fang member. They cautiously entered the hall, keeping an eye out for anyone that may be on watch. Lucifer was checking some rooms when someone called out to her.

Lucifer charged out into the main hall, looking for the source of the noise. The same voice called out to her, causing Lucifer to stare around in confusion. "Over here! There are people in prison cells here!" Legault called to Lucifer. She hurried over to Legault and saw that he was kneeling in front of a cell. Inside were three people. One of them was dressed in finery, probably lord Elbert. The other two looked to be no more than children. Both of them had bright blue hair and looked like brother and sister.

"What are you doing here? Why would the Black Fang lock you up like this? You're only children!" Lucifer said, examining the lock to the door. Strangely, there wasn't one. Yet when Lucifer pulled on the bars, they remained firmly shut.

"It's sealed by magic. Only Nergal can open it." The girl next to Lord Elbert said. She was sitting between Lord Elbert and the young boy who could only be her brother. "We both know why you're here. You want to help your friend get free of that person's spell, right?" The girl asked, looking at Lucifer expectantly. "However, we know what your friend is."

"Yeah…but how did you know that?"Lucifer asked. "And what do you mean, what my friend is? First, who are you? I know Lord Elbert, but not you." Lucifer said, kneeling down so she was eye level with the children.

"I'm Ninian, and this is Nils, my brother. If you want to free your friend, you must break Limstella's concentration. You must hurry, before he is killed by the army making its way here. Don't worry about us," Ninian said as she saw Lucifer about to object. "We will be fine. Elbert will wake up soon. He took a beating from Nergal when he tried to resist him.. You must stop the conflict before it gets out of hand and-" Ninian said, but was cut off by the sound of combat outside, as well as screams and yells.

"Lucifer, we need to go! Eliwoods army is here!" Legault shouted to Lucifer as he ran towards the gate.

Lucifer turned back towards the two children as she pulled out her lance. "I will get you out of here. I promise!" Lucifer said as she sprinted towards the area Jake was supposed to be guarding the dragons gate.

Ninian called out to Lucifer one more time, "Your friend is part dragon!" Lucifer couldn't stop herself. She skidded to a halt and turned around. This sent her reeling. What the hell? Jake couldn't possibly be a dragon. He would have told her…wouldn't have he?

"There's no way that he could be a dragon! He would have destroyed everything by now! Anyway, how would you know!?" Lucifer nearly screamed. Ninian was about to reply when Legault shouted at her. Lucifer turned and without waiting for a reply streaked for the doors.

When Lucifer stepped outside, she saw that everything was in an uproar. Black Fang soldiers were running in all direction, while many of them were headed down the main hall. Lucifer and Legault followed them until they were outside. Once there, Lucifer could see a fierce battle raging in front of the main doors. Three people, presumably the lords leading the army, were facing off against Jake. She saw Eliwood in bright blue. Hector, Lord Uther's brother, was fighting alongside him. A young lady, who Lucifer recognized as Lord Caelin's granddaughter, was fencing with Cameron, a black Fang captain. . Lucifer winced as Cameron took a blade to his chest and fell to the ground.

Lyn, Hector and Eliwood all took up position against Jake .He laughed as the three of them charged. Jake parried Lyn and Eliwood's swords at once, then blocked Hector's axe with his arm. Jake threw Eliwood and Lyn against the wall, and punched Hector in the face, causing him to stagger backwards. Jake strode over to Lyn and raised his sword, ready to stab it through Lyn, when Lucifer threw herself in the blade's path.

The Blade came down, right through Lucifer.

There was a scuffling behind them, when Limstella was thrown from a building by Oswin, a knight of Ostia. Limstella made to get to her feet, when Hector smacked her in the side of the head, knocking her flat to the ground. Limstella glowed as she faded into the ground. Jake came to himself, dropping the sword. He fell backward, landing on his back. He lay there, trying to gather his thoughts. He sat up, then saw Lucifer.

Lucifer was lying where Lyn had previously been. Her blood was pooling across the floor from the large hole in her stomach. Jake had been aware of everything he had been doing, but had been unable to control his body. He was lost for words As he clutched at Lucifer's hand. He clasped it as Lucifer turned in his direction, smiling, appearing content. "I'm glad you're alright." She said, struggling for breath.

"No…Don't leave me… I will save you…." Jake's throat constricted. He knew it was a lie. The wound was fatal, and beyond repair. "What have I done?"

"No…you must stop Nergal…he will destroy the world…. I'm glad to have spent the time I did with you." Lucifer said, smiling through the pain. "good luck…I love you Jake….."Lucifer's eyes closed as Jake felt a cold spread through his body.

"No! Lucifer… come back. No! Lucifer!!"Jake screamed at the sky. He never had felt sorrow such as this, and it was as though his heart had been ripped in half. He screamed until he could scream no more, and sat there, taking deep breathes. He wiped the tears from his face as his anguish was replaced by a cold hard hatred.

Nergal and his creeps would pay for this with their lives! Jake swore on that as he stormed away, snatching his sword from the ground as he did so…for the first time in his life, Jake was out for blood!


	10. Dragons Wrath

Chapter 10: The Dragon's Wrath

Lyn went to stop Jake when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Eliwood had stopped her from going after Jake. "I don't understand…why would she save me when she didn't even know me?" Lyn asked, feeling for some reason like Lucifer's death was her fault.

"Maybe she saw that you didn't deserve to die. It wasn't that girls fault. He was being controlled by that person, and he was unable to control himself." Eliwood said, letting go. They all had some kind of injuries from their skirmish with Jake. Hector had a large bruise on the side of his face, Eliwood and Lyn both had a bruised shoulder. They readied their weapons as they entered the Dragon's gate, heading towards where several dark figures stood.

Ephidel stood there, holding on the Ninian. Nergal and Limstella were standing nearby, keeping a hold on Lord Elbert , Nergal saying something while facing towards the massive stone arch in the background. Ninian was standing as though in a daze, her eyes glazed over as though in a trance. Nergal turned around and grinned evilly as Ninian walked slowly towards the massive arch. "Come forth …children…of... flame…." She said in a monotone as Eliwood ran towards Nergal.

"What did you do to her!?" Eliwood shouted, just as a there was a red flash of light. Lord Elbert kneeled over with a groan as Nergal laughed. "No, father! Hold on!" he cried he caught his father as he fell glaring at Nergal.

"Ah, wonderful! Such wonderful power! Now then Ninian… Call forth the dragons!" Nergal said as a blur fell down from above, flying past Ephidel.

"What the hell…?" He said, then fell apart as Jake appeared, sword bloody. Eliwood saw that his face was twisted with anguish and rage as he turned on Nergal.

"Now, is that any way to control your temper?" Nergal asked mockingly as Jake charged towards Nergal with a roar. Nergal laughed as he threw Jake backwards with a blast of dark energy. As Jake fell backwards, his dragon fang pendant fell off, landing by Legault. He obviously realized something as he began screaming at everyone to back off. Lyn looked around for a reason as to why Legault was screaming(something he very rarely did )but when she saw Jake she immediately took several steps back. Sain, one of Lyn's cavaliers, had grabbed Matthew to stop him from running to Jake.

Jake had a white glow around him as Nergal, grinning broadly, turned his back to Jake and began chanting. _"__**Nergal!!! You will die!!!"**_Jake screamed as the white glow filled the room, blinding them. Lyn was forced to look away from the white glow, as was everyone else. When Lyn looked back, she felt a chill run through her body. Eliwood and Hector had stopped dead, fear frozen on their faces.

A towering white dragon had appeared where Jake had been standing. Its scales seemed to be made of Crystal, and it seemed to radiate the same white glow. It looked around for a moment, then gave a thunderous roar that shook the entire room. Everyone had frozen, paralyzed from fear, except Nergal, who just laughed. "Ha! I knew it! You really are a dragon! Such glorious power! I shall use you for my own!" He threw what looked like a wall of dark energy at the dragon. The dragon replied with a blast of pure white fire that engulfed the dark energy and dispelled it. _**"Come forth**_ _**my Brethren! Besiege this evil with fire!!!" **_The dragon roared as the dragon's gate opened, and shadowy images could be seen on the other side of the gate. _**"You took what was dear to me… and I shall make you pay tenfold!!!!" **_The dragon roared again. Nergal was looking enraged as he ordered his minions to attack.

Eliwood, Lyn and Hector watched with horror as men closed in on the dragon. _This can't be real! It just can't!_ Eliwood thought as the dragon whirled, spiked tail flying through the air, ripping apart several of them. The battle became a bloodbath as countless men threw themselves at the dragon in an attempt to restrain it. The shadowy shapes in the gate were becoming more defined, which almost caused Eliwood to panic. How were they supposed to stop this?! The dragon was on a rampage, destroying all that went near it.

A small figure ran out from behind Legault, grabbing the pendant from his hand as he stood in front of the dragon, holding up the pendant in front of the dragon. The dragon stopped it's assault, and slowly calmed down. it eyed the child for a moment, and Eliwood feared that it would attack. The small figure was Nils, and as he did this he called out to his sister. "Ninian! Wake up, you mustn't do this!" he shouted, and Ninian seemed to snap out of her trance.

"What…what's going on?" she asked, very confused. The was a loud crack as a blast of dark energy struck the dragon, causing it to roar in agony. The dragon began to decrease in size as Nergal cackled.

"Yes…What power! This is excellent!"Nergal said with a nasty smile as something flew out of nowhere and stabbed Nergal in the chest. He staggered, then saw Lord Elbert on his knees, gasping for breath. He had thrown a dagger at Nergal, and the blade had found it's mark. "No…not by your hand…" Nergal managed to gasp before he teleported with Sonia and Limstella.

The dragon had shrunk down in size until it became Jake again. He was on his knees in the middle of the room, head bowed. Lyn cautiously approached Jake, and was shocked when she got close to him. His hair had had turned white, as well as his Black Fang armor. It was strange to see him like this. He had tears streaking down his face, his eyes closed.

"Are you ok?" Ninian asked him, kneeling next to Jake. He was taking trembling breathes as he staggered to his feet. He searched for his sword, but instead only found his old sword he had killed the bandits with. What the hell…?what had happened to the holy sword?

There was a loud rumbling coming from the gate, which was closing. Everyone scrambled for the gate as it began to shut, spewing fire everywhere. Jake snatched up his sword as he ran for the gate, grabbing Ninian and Nils on the way out. He stumbled from his fatigue, but somehow kept running.

They all ran through the doors, while Sain and Kent slammed them shut. Jake dropped Ninian and Nils as he fell on his face, unable to move from sheer exhaustion. He felt like he had not slept in days

Eliwood was bent over his father's dead body, which made Jake feel it was his fault in some way. Lord Elbert had had his life taken by Nergal to open the dragons gate. Jake felt another pang as he watched this, but couldn't offer any condolences…he couldn't find the words to express how he felt. He had a general idea of Eliwood felt, losing his father…and yet he felt guilty that if he had not come to the dragon's gate, Lord Elbert might somehow still be alive.

Jake felt strong arms pull him to his feet, and saw Hector and the man named Oswin there. He swayed, then was able to stand somehow. He glanced over to where Lucifer lay and felt another stab of agony pierce his heart. Why did she have to die? Jake had to hold back tears as the pain resurfaced, threatening to overwhelm him.

Jake picked her up, then made to walk away when a hand stopped him. He turned to see Lyn's tear streaked face there. "Where are you going? Surely you aren't going off on your own? We will come with you. I know how it feels to lose someone close to you." Lyn said quietly, squeezing his shoulder.

Jake shook off her hand gently, shaking his head. "No… I must bury her. I…I need to be alone right now…need to sort out my life." Jake said, his voice still choked up. He was mildly surprised to still be alive. He had expected someone to slaughter him after finding out he was a dragon. And yet here he was, still standing. "How come I'm not dead yet?" Jake asked, voicing out his question.

"What? What do you mean?" Eliwood asked, walking up to seemd to be holding back his anguish

"You've all seen I'm a dragon, and yet you let me live…why?" Jake asked.

"You may be a dragon, but your also a nice person." Matthew said , coming up to Jake, looking like he a had a few choice words to say to Jake, but was holding them in.

"Yeah, just because you're a dragon doesn't give you the right to die. You've as much right to live as any of us." Hector said.

"My Lord Eliwood!" a voice called out. Eliwood turned to see Harken sprinting full speed towards him.

"Harken! What are you doing here?" Eliwood asked, looking surprised to see one of his father's guards here.

"I am so sorry. I was unable to protect Lord Elbert. I have failed in my duties." Harken said, looking like it was the end of the world.

"It wasn't your fault Harken. If it would make you feel better, you can serve me." Eliwood said,wanting to cheer Harken up. He nodded, seeming to cheer up a little, while Jake walked away, almost not able to stand any of it. He had walked a few feet, when Legault pressed something into his free hand. When Jake saw that it was his pendant, He nodded his thanks to Legault. Legault squeezed his shoulder in reply, then went back to join the group.

Jake wondered briefly what had happened to Darin, whom had been assigned to guard the gate. Probably dead, by what happened to the rest of the men that had tried to stop Eliwood and his could honestly care less. Jake had decided to bury Lucifer somewhere nice…like by a waterfall. There was a particular one that Jake had liked to hang out at when he wasn't doing missions. Jake arrived at the waterfall at sunset, and set Lucifer down. He was wondering how he was going to dig Lucifer a grave when he heard a rustling behind him.

Jake's hand flew to his sword as he spun around, sword slashing through the air. There was no one there. Jake scanned the area suspiciously, keeping an eye out for Limstella, Sonia, or any of Nergal's cronies. Jake was about to turn back around when an old man stepped out from behind a tree. Jake kept alert as he walked slowly towards Jake, examining the forest around him with great interest. He had a massive sweeping beard, which was white with age. He was wearing magnificent blue robes, with a staff in his hand. He walked until he was within 10 feet of Jake, then decided to finally address jake.

"Ah, you must be Jake. It must be terrible to experience the pain of loss at such a young age. I have experienced it myself." He said serenly.

"What...You...I.. **_How do you know how I feel!?_**" Jake roared his frustration, anger and anguish finally breaking. He could keep it contained no longed, and threw his sword at a tree. The blade broke as it plunged into the tree and stayed there.

"Because I know what you know what you are." The old man said with a mysterious air.

"Who the hell are you?" Jake snapped. He wasn't in the mood for mind games. Jake wanted answers right now. And how did this old geezer know about his…_ability_?

"I am Athos. I can answer all of your questions." The old man said with a smile.


	11. Story of your life

Chapter 11: Story of your life.

Jake's jaw dropped, and he momentarily forgot about his misery. This was Athos? How could that be? Athos was one of the eight legendary generals that led the humans against the dragons in the scouring. This just wasn't possible!

"You really expect me to believe your Athos? Ha, your funny. He had died hundreds of years ago!" Jake said, leaning against a tree. This man was nothing more than an imitator! Bah, He didn't have time for this!

"If you would like proof, I can gladly prove it." Athos said gently. Jake snorted as he looked the other way. He wished the old man would shove off and just leave him alone. "Well then don't be alarmed." Athos said as he waved his staff. A weird circle of light appeared around Lucifer's body for a moment, then she disappeared.

"What the…_WHAT DID YOU WITH HER!?"_ Jake shouted, panicked. Maybe this guy was with Nergal ! Jake charged at the man, broken sword raised, when the same light enveloped Jake and everything disappeared into nothingness.

Jake panicked for a moment, then calmed himself down…there was an explanation for this. There always was. Jake was thinking what to do when everything reappeared…except everything was somewhere else! Jake glanced around, checking for enemies, and for the second time that day, Jake's mouth fell open.

He appeared to be in a kind of temple, with the sound of rushing and falling water filling it. A lot of the structures were blue, and there was a pleasant breeze blowing through the expansive room. Jake waited where he was, waiting for something to happen. Jake saw Lucifer and the floor next to him, lying as though nothing had disturbed her. Jake had been trying to block out the pain, but it was only leaving him moody and irritable.

The circle of light reappeared, then Athos appeared within it. He walked towards Jake slowly, possible as to not alarm him…or maybe from old age. "Welcome to my home. I hope you find it likeable." Athos said, gesturing around the room. Jake was not as skeptical now, but still required proof.

"Yeah, so you can teleport. That doesn't mean anything though. You could just be a very talented mage." Jake said as he sheathed his still drawn sword. He wanted to know what the hell was going on, and it this man was really Athos, then he wanted some real proof.

"Are you doubting the great arch-sage Athos?" A deep voice said behind him. Jake turned around very slowly to see a massive man standing behind him, at least twice as tall as him. The man had a gigantic battle ax slung across his back. His hair was in a ponytail, and he had many markings and his body and face, indicating he was a warrior of some kind. Jake was wondering how far this guy could throw him when Athos spoke to The man

"It's alright Hawkeye, he's a friend." Athos said with a smile. Hawkeye grinned and held out a massive hand. Jake shook it, wincing as his hand was almost crushed. He nodded to Hawkeye, and then turned back to Athos. He had a lot of questions to ask this old man that apparently knew everything.

"So if you're really Athos, then explain everything to me. Why am I like this? What the hell am I doing here? And what the hell is Nergal trying to do!?" Jake's voice rose to a shout as he voiced out all the questions that had been whirling inside his head ever since Nergal had shown up. Athos seated himself on a chair as he gazed at Jake, making him feel uneasy.

"I will answer all of your questions, only if you are able to calm yourself down and be reasonable about this." Athos said sternly. Jake looked like he wanted to argue, then sat down with a sigh, admitting defeat. "Now, what I'm going to tell you must not be repeated to anyone else, except whom I deem worthy, understand?" Athos asked, gazing sternly at Jake. Jake nodded, then sat up a little straighter.

"Good. Now, as you know, during the scouring, all the dragons had retreated through the dragons gate, apparently vanishing from this land. However, there is a small village in Nabata desert that hides a few dragons, as well as the people that live alongside them. The village is called Arcadia, and I have cast a sandstorm to hide it from any unwary travelers. That is the reason that it has remained undetected for so long. It is the last place on Elibe to have dragons. I have stood as a guardian of that place for many years."

"So what does this have to do with me?" Jake asked. This was interesting and all, but Jake couldn't see for the life of him how this concerned him.

"You see, your mother was one of the few dragons to escape to Arcadia. She occasionally travelled the world to explore, always under disguise. She ran into your father, and they soon became friends. They soon married each other, and after a while, your mother revealed that she was a dragon."

"Let me guess. He ditched her and went out on his own to do whatever, right?"Jake asked, not wanting to believe that thought.

"No. Quite the contrary, He decided to keep her at his side at all times to protect her from anyone that may want to harm her. You were born about 5 months from this time, and were brought to Arcadia for a short time, for a tradition that is performed for all young dragons. You were given that amulet to contain your dragon side, as well as to speak to your mother after she passed away."

"You see, your mother was terribly sick at this time from an unknown sickness, and she knew that she did not have much time left. She was on her deathbed when you were four years old. Just before she died, she sealed her soul into that pendant, so she could forever guide and protect you." Athos looked at Jake waiting to make the connection.

Suddenly, it hit Jake like a brick to the face. That voice he had heard when he had been near death, as well as that other time, when his rage had gotten out of control…It had been his mother speaking from the pendant? Jake looked over to Athos, who nodded, confirming Jake's questions. It was unbelievable! Was his mother really still with him?

"Yes Jake that power bestowed upon you was actually from your mother. She done what she could to keep you alive. She made it seem as though the power came from Elemine because of the presence of another person, to conceal the fact she was giving you some of her strength. She was unsure that she could trust Lucifer." Athos said, smiling slightly.

Jake was wordless. For once, he couldn't think of any reply. One thing didn't fit though. "What about my holy sword? It had Elemine carved into the blade. What is that supposed to mean?" Jake asked, drawing his broken sword. The blade was gone, broken from when Jake had thrown it at a tree in frustration.

Athos smiled as though Jake had just told him an amusing joke. "That was placed there to further hide the fact she was giving you strength. It was to make it seem as though you really had been blessed by Elemine, which was what she wanted everyone to think. It was for your protection, as much as hers."

"But what will I do with Lucifer?" Jake asked, not looking at her. He couldn't look at her.

"I have an idea, but it will take massive amounts of human energy and stamina to work. On top of that…Bramimond is the only one who can perform it…" Athos said as he waved his staff. Lucifer disappeared off the floor. She reappeared a few second later encased in crystal. The gaping hole in her stomach was gone, and her armor was now navy blue.

Ummm…What do you mean?" Jake asked, drawn in by how beautiful Lucifer looked in the crystal. He had a feeling that Athos was thinking about something, but with this guy, it could be anything.

"Bramimond had been a master of dark magic, and was able to achieve great feats. One surpassed them all. He was able to recall a lost soul to a body." Athos said quietly. He was fiddling with his staff as he spoke.

"Wait…so your saying that there might be away to bring Lucifer back to life?" Jake asked, feeling numb. Athos had to be pulling his leg. There was no way to bring someone back from the dead. Many mages have tried and ended up killing themselves trying.

"Yes, but it is very dangerous. You could die in the process, and if It really works, Lucifer may not be the same. There are many risks, the worst being your death." Athos said gravely as he sat down in a chair.

"I'll do it. I will do anything for her."Jake said as elation began to flood him. If there was any chance in hell of bringing Lucifer back, Jake would do anything and everything to achieve it.

"You cannot hope to achieve that now. You body would not be able to stand the strain. You will stay here and train your body and mind. Both Hawkeye and myself shall guide you help strengthen you. But you shall not be ready for a while yet." Athos said sternly as he'd seen Jake about to voice an objection.

But before I go…may I speak with my mother? It would really mean a lot to me." Jake said, wanting Athos to say yes.

"No, not now…your exhausted and on the verge of collapse. You go and rest, and maybe tomorrow I shall let you."Athos said with another smile. He nodded to Hawkeye, who began to lead Jake away down a hallway. They walked in silence, until Jake finally spoke.

"Hey, Hawkeye. Is there anyone else here besides me?"

"Ah yes. There is another dragon here, about your age. He is the second youngest dragon of the village, and is being trained by Athos and myself. You will be sharing a room with him. Don't worry, he is quite friendly. He will like the fact that he will have a friend his own. Jake walked down the hall to a room, where Hawkeye stopped. "Here is your room. We will expect you two in the main hall tomorrow morning. Well , good night."Hawkeye said and began walking away.

Jake opened the door to see a large expansive room . There were several windows set in the wall, as well as a table and four beds. Sitting on one of the beds reading was a young man. He was wearing a green tunic with a sword belted across his back. He looked up upon hearing the door opening and smiled. "Ah, welcome. You must be Jake. Athos told me about you. I'm Sky, and I'm glad you finally made it."


	12. Welcome to Arcadia

Chapter 12: Welcome to Arcadia

Jake stared around him, wondering where the hell he was. He was standing completely in the dark, without any light whatsoever . He had his old sword in his hand, which was comforting…untill he realized it was broken. He cursed as he saw a small light appear in the distance, moving towards him. When it got within 3 or 4 feet of him, Jake saw the light turn into Lucifer.

Jake grinned as he saw that she had returned to him. Wait a minute…she was dead, so there was no way- Jake's though was interrupted as a blade pierced her, right through the stomach. Jake snarled as he ran towards her, determined to see who had done the damage. He stopped dead as he saw who it was.

He saw himself. His other self had golden eyes and black hair…he looked just like one of Nergals henchmen. His other side grinned nastily as he let Lucifer's dead body drop to the floor. Jake took a wild swing at him, but was slashed across the face, causing him to yell out in pain. He fell to the floor as he was slashed several more times across his chest and arms, causing him to fall beside Lucifer.

Jake struggling into a kneeling position as bright light filled the room ,revealing Nergal, who was laughing at him. Sonia and Limstella were standing at his side, looking emotionless as usual. Nergal strode forward, the room darkening again leaving only him visible. He smirked as Jake finally got to his feet, broken sword in hand. Jake watched horrified as Nergal morphed into a towering Black Dragon . It roared as Jake stumbled backwards , unable to do anything. Blood was running down his chest from the wounds he'd received, making him feel dizzy and tired.

The dragon roared as it swung a massive paw at him, claws outstretched. Jake tried to dive out of the way, but to his horror he found that his feet had melded to the floor. Jake felt the claws tear through his body….

Jake awoke with a yell, falling out of his bed. He hit the floor with a loud_ thud_ as he heard a voice ask, "Hey, what just happened?!" Someone climbed out of bed and lit a candle. Jake saw Sky standing there, looking scared.

Jake was sprawled on the floor, feeling shivery. He felt as though his life had really ended…he just felt like curling into a ball and crying, another thing he never did. "Are you ok? I heard you moving around a lot, and I thought something was wrong. I was about to wake you when you fell out of bed." He helped Jake off the floor and stared at him, still looking worried. "You look really pale. Maybe you should go get some fresh air. I'll come with you. I have a few things that might take your mind off whatever happened." Sky said smiling when Jake nodded his agreement. Jake threw his white clothes that had formerly been black fang apparel and followed Sky out of the room. The hallways were dark, indicating that it was still early morning.

Sky led him through several hallways, up several staircases, and after a while, Jake was totally and utterly lost. Sky pushed open a door and beckoned Jake through it. Jake stepped outside to find himself out on a balcony. He stared around , noticing that he was indeed in the middle of the Nabata desert. In the distance, a massive sandstorm was raging around what could only be Arcadia. Jake sat down in one of the chairs, relishing the cool night air on his face. He could still see the dream , like it was when it had happened. Sky sat down next to him, staring out at the desert.

"What's it like out there?" Sky asked, surprising Jake. He looked at Jake questioningly, when Jake realized that Sky probably never left the desert.

"Well…It's hard to explain. You will have to see for yourself when you go out." Jake said smiling. Sky looked thoughtful as he pondered this. The two sat in silence for a while, each thinking his own thoughts.

Jake was watching the sunrise when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned to see Athos standing there, smiling at him. " You're up early. Are you well?" he asked, seating himself beside Jake .

"Well…no. No I'm not alright. You see…" Jake told Athos and Sky about his nightmare .Sky looked horrified at what he heard, while Athos said nothing, his face betraying nothing. When Jake finished, he sat in silence, waiting for their replies.

"Wow…I have never even seen this guy, and he sounds terrifying." Sky said lost for words. Athos still had not said anything which got Jake really worried.

` "Have you ever had dreams like this before?" Athos finally asked, watching Jake's reaction.

"No, this is the first time I've slept since the dragons gate." Jake said, staring at his feet .

"I think I may know. Nergal wants to intimidate you and scare you. He knows that you are part dragon, and he wants to harvest your power. Don't worry," Athos said, seeing the scared look on Jake's face. "He can't reach you her. You look tired. Perhaps you should go to the village and relax. It would do your frayed nerves some good." Athos said, smiling gently.

"Yeah, I think I'll do that. I haven't had any rest and relaxation in the longest time."Jake said standing up. Sky got to his feet as Athos nodded.

"Be sure to be back by dark. I want to begin your lessons today." Athos grunted as he sat down in one of the chairs.

"Sure thing. Come on, let's go." Jake said over his shoulder as he began walking back into the building. Sky followed him as they went to prepare.

About an hour later Jake and Sky entered the village. It was still dark, but the village was alive with activity. People were moving this way and that, doing various tasks. Jake felt odd, standing in this long hidden village. He and Sky had put on long flowing robes to protect them from the heat. They both were wearing hoods with their faces covered, showing only their eyes. Jake felt weird…he wasn't sure why though.

Jake and Sky wandered the village, looking at what ever caught their eye. Jake had bought some fruit, while Sky was trying his luck at archery. He somehow sent the arrow straight up, and only avoided getting hit when Jake pulled him away. The people around him laughed as Sky almost tripped and fell. Sky's eyes sparkled with laughter as Jake grinned. He was glad that Sky was having a good time and it sure felt good to relax for once.

A weapons stall caught his eye, and he hurried over to it, eager to replace his sorry excuse for a sword. He selected a nice silver sword from a rack and gave it an experimental swing. He liked how familiar it felt and paid the sword smith, who gave him a grin.

As Jake came out, he saw that Sky had his sword drawn. "Hey Jake! How about a duel? One on one, me against you?" Sky asked, twirling his sword in a small circle.

"It would be good to have a challenge for once In a while. I must warn you though…I'm pretty good." Jake said, tossing his new sword into the air and catching it. Sky and Jake circled each other, keeping their distance. Jake was glad they were out in the open, so nothing would get wrecked. Jake and Sky kept their robes on so the sun beating down on their heads wouldn't dehydrate them much. A small crowd had already gathered around them to watch. One girl pushed her way through the crowd and stood in front, eyes bright. She had bright purple hair and looked like a child. She waved energetically at Jake, who waved back. Right then Sky took his opportunity to strike.

Sky came at Jake so fast that Jake barely got his sword up in time to block it. The blow jarred his arms as he retaliated, pushing Sky back. The two battled back and forth, When Sky's sword came so close that it tore off Jake's robes. The crowd gasped as they fell to the ground, revealing Jake's white clothing. A woman who looked to be in her twenties whispered to another, "He is alive. He has finally returned to us!" Jake hadn't heard this, as he was to busy battling Sky.

The two were evenly matched…Jake couldn't get past sky's guard, and Sky couldn't get past Jake's. Jake was quickly becoming frustrated as he made no headway in the past 30 minutes of fighting. He had accumulated several small cuts and bruises from some very close calls, and so had Sky. Jake had grown exhausted and could barely stand.

"You done yet?" Sky asked, gasping for air. He was standing unsteadily, holding his sword loosely. He was tired and Jake knew it. Unfortunately, the same went for him . Jake's frustration mounted as he attacked again, sparks skating off their blades as they clashed. Jake tried to kick Sky, who rolled to the side. Jake wanted to throw his sword. Never had he fought someone as skilled as him, or as strong as him. He was going to have to revise his tactics if he was going to win this battle.

Jake noticed that Sky preferred to back off when Jake was right up in his face, so that was what he was going to do. Jake ran at him, pushing his tired legs to overdrive. He attacked, making sky lose ground. When Sky tried to get some space, Jake pressed the assault, keeping Sky on the defensive. Suddenly, Sky did the unexpected: He threw a punch at Jake. Jake ducked under the swing and as he went to swing his sword, he felt hot steel on his neck. He froze as the crowd around them cheered.

Jake was infuriated that he had fallen for such cheap trick. He had never lost a duel before, and was feeling sour about it. He fell to his knees as his legs suddenly went rubbery, probable from exhaustion. Sky helped him to his feet, smiling.

"Hey, good match. You were a lot better than I thought you were. We'll have to try again sometime!"Sky said, holding out his hand. Jake didn't hove for a moment, then grudgingly shook it. Sky sheathed his sword as he pulled on his ripped up robes. A woman came up to Jake and bowed, catching Jake by surprise. It was the woman that had been talking. She had a bow slung across her back, as well as a quiver of arrows. She looked to be in her twenties, as a skilled archer.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you Sir Jake. We have been awaiting for you to arrive for the longest time."She said.

"Um, who are you?" Jake asked, still simmering over his loss.

"I am Igrene, a guardian of this village. We have met you once before, when you were young. When your mother and father died, I had feared you had died along with them. The village is pleased to find that you are alive and well. Even better, you have grown into a powerful warrior, which would have made your father proud." This made Jake feel a little better, as the purple haired girl ran up to him and pulled on his arm.

"Wow! It's really you! You came back!" The girl said excitedly. Jake was slightly amused by a person who couldn't have seen him before.

"And who might you be?" Jake asked her, stabbing his sword in the ground as he sat down and let his body get some much needed rest.

"This is Fa, She is a young dragon, far from a mature one. She was there for your ceremony, and your departure." Igrene said as Sky sat down, watching with great interest. Fa was practically jumping up and down with excitement as Jake watched, amused.

"So this brings the count up to four, a record." Sky said, laughing.

"What do you mean?" Jake asked, knowing something was amiss.

"There were only three dragons in the village before you came here: Fa, myself, And the elder."Sky said, now sounding slightly sad. "The dragons slowly died off over the years, leaving only us. It's a shame, there used to be so many…" He trailed off, making Jake feel sorry for all of them. He walked over to a stall to get a drink, then sat under the shade, cooling off.

They were all having a good time, when suddenly something felt off. Jake looked around, but no one seemed to notice anything. Sky on the other hand had gotten to his feet and walked over to Jake, constantly looking around. "Something isn't right. I can't place it, but I feel something is wrong." Sky whispered, and Jake nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, your right. We should warn the others, in case something happens." Jake said, walking towards where Igrene and Fa were talking. He was halfway there when the sky went dark, causing Jake to look up . Al around them, dark figures were appearing, dropping out of the sky.

"Morphs! They're attacking the village!"Sky shouted, drawing his sword. When Jake looked confused, sky explained, "They are Nergals henchmen. They aren't real human, they are crafter by magic." Huh. That explained why there were so many.

As they were surrounded, Fa in between Jake, Igrene, and Sky, Igrene drew her bow. " We need to protect Fa! She can't fight on her own. Get ready!" Jake drew his own sword, and grinned slightly. It was time to slay some morphs.


	13. Hard labor pays off

_Author's note: To clear up some facts I messed up: Igrene isn't the guardian of Nabata, That's Hawkeye. _

Chapter 13: Hard labor pays off.

Jake was semi worried when the morphs showed up: mainly because he was still tired from his fight with Sky. Igrene was watching the morphs, waiting for them to make a move. Villagers were fleeing, heading away from what would soon become a battlefield. Jake noted that one particular person was running towards Athos's temple. Jake hoped that person was going to get Athos or Hawkeye.

One morph stepped forward and began to speak, which was odd. Jake had never heard a morph speak before, and it was weird…they spoke with no emotion what-so-ever. The morph that spoke wore a hood concealing his face, but not his glowing golden eyes.

"Our Lord Nergal demands that the …thing, come with us to the dragons gate. Our master desires this greatly. If he comes with us, we have been instructed not to harm anyone." The morph stood there without moving, waiting for a response.

Jake felt offended that he was considered an "it" by Nergal. He had no intention of handing himself over, and he was ready to give this morph a sound thrashing. He nodded to Sky, who ran at the morph, swinging his sword. The morph jumped into the air, only to be hit by a dagger Jake threw at him. The morph fell to the ground and tried to get up, blood leaking out of the wound. Jake finished him off with a stab of his sword. The rest of the morphs stood there for a moment, then they all charged.

Jake had seen a massive shadow flying towards them, and hoped that it was the village Elder. He grabbed Fa and tossed her up into the sky. The shadow, which turned out to be a massive Brown dragon, grabbed Fa and carried her to safety. Jake ducked under a swing from a morph swordsman and stabbed him, then spun around and beheaded another. He held out his hand to Sky, who grabbed it. He threw Sky with all his might, sending Sky hurtling towards a group of Morph knights who had made a wall to stop their escape. Sky swung his sword in an arc in mid-flight to decapitate them. Jake turned to see a massive figure running towards them, holding a gigantic ax.

It was Hawkeye, wielding his bloody ax. He sent five Morphs flying with one massive sweep of his ax as Igrene shot several more morphs with her bow. Jake threw his sword at the last morph, who had been trying to flee. He fell to the ground, Jake's sword sticking out of his back. The sky seemed to clear with the morphs death, once again showering everyone with blazing heat and sun.

"Igrene, are you alright?" Hawkeye asked, looking concerned. Igrene was busy picking her arrows out the bodies that littered the area.

"Yes father, I'm fine." Igrene said, catching Jake by surprise. Hawkeye was Igrenes Father? Wow.

"Wait…your Igrenes father?" Jake asked, surprised.

"You didn't know that? If you want to know something, just ask." Igrene said smiling. Now that Jake was looking at the two of them, he could tell the resemblance. Igrene looked much like her father, just with longer hair.

"Huh. I'm learning new stuff every day."Jake said as he tiredly retrieved his dagger. From the fallen morph. He sheathed it and walked back to the group. The Elder had returned and was talking to Sky.

"I'm glad that you are all alright. Right now, Jake must go back to Athos for his own protection. Nergal may send more of his men to capture Jake, and we can't let that happen." He looked at the elders wizened face and was about to object when he was cut off. "Don't try to argue…it's for your own good." Jake sighed in defeat as he turned to walk back to Athos's temple. He needed rest and he wanted to talk to his mother really badly.

Jake, Hawkeye, and Sky entered the cool Temple, which made Jake instantly fell better. He plopped himself down in a chair and immediately looked around for Athos. He was nowhere to be seen. Hawkeye was still standing as Sky threw himself into a chair also and sat there silently, stewing over the day's events.

"Rough day?"A voice behind Jake asked, making him jump. Athos stood there, smiling slightly.

"I guess you could say that. Morphs attacked us, and demanded that I be turned over to Nergal. We killed them all, only thanks to Hawkeye. I am completely exhausted." Jake slouched in the chair, ready to fall asleep, when a figure caught his eye. He walked out of a hallway and stood before Jake. He was dressed in mage robes and looked like he had some kind of noble bearing.

"Ah, you must be Jake. A pleasure to meet you." The man said smiling. He had an Elfire tome in his left hand and it seemed like he had a mend staff strapped to his waist.

"Who are you?" Jake asked, already dozing off. He was struggling to stay awake as the man was introducing himself. He hadn't felt this tired in a long time.

"I'm the mage general of Etruria, and Count of Reglay. Athos has told me much about you and I had hoped to meet you. My wife and I are good friends of Athos, and I am studying under him. My wife will be here soon to meet you." Pent said. When he saw that Jake had fallen asleep, he smiled and began whispering to Athos. He then shook Jake awake and helped pull Jake to his feet.

"You had best be off to bed. I have important information that I must tell you. For now go up to bed. You are sleeping on your feet." Athos said. Jake stumbled off in the direction of the stairs, while Sky stayed behind to talk with Athos.

"He's a great guy and all…but I swear that he can be lazy sometimes."Sky said grinning.

Jake had waken up the next morning feeling extremely sore. He dressed himself in one of the comfy robes Athos had given him and made his way to Athos' study. When he arrived, he saw Pent and Athos both sitting there poring over scrolls. Pent smiled when he saw Jake standing there, scratching his head.

"Well, morning."Pent said as he rolled up some scrolls and put them away. Athos beckoned for Jake to sit down, which he did.

"Now, there is much I must tell you about yourself. Much of it concerns your pendant. Please listen before you make any comments. Jake nodded, wondering what this was all about.

" Now, as you know, that pendant contains your mother's soul. It has one other function : to seal away your dragon side."

"Wait, I thought that I wanted to develop that side…"Jake said, feeling confused. He had first thought that he wanted to control this other side of himself. That raw power that he had felt at the dragon's gate was…unbelievable. If he could somehow gain control over it….

"Yes, but right now, there is no way you could contain that kind of power. With some training and discipline from me and pent, you may be able to use it in the future. Sky is already able to use it, only because he was trained and has full control over that. He is able to draw out that power as armor, as well as his sword. Only when he needs it most is he permitted to use it." Athos said as he pulled out several more scrolls.

"So I can do all that within a few weeks?" Jake asked as he watched Athos open the scrolls and arrange them in a certain order. Jake had seen that they were spells, but wasn't sure what they were for.

"Yes, but right now, I will be teaching you how to use magic. Pent will be your teacher in the mornings, teaching you magic, while I will be teaching you in the afternoon to utilize your dragon strength. After that you will spar with Hawkeye and Sky until nighttime. "

"Huh. So I'll be having a busy day from now on. Oh well, it'll help me get stronger. Hey Pent, can I pick what magic I can use?"Jake asked, feeling excited. He had thought about what it would be like to use magic, but had thought it would be too hard.

"Yes. What kind of magic would you like to learn?" Pent asked, pointing to the four scrolls on the table. Jake inspected each of the scrolls, noting that one was anima magic, one was light magic, the next healing magic, and the last dark magic.

"I would prefer to learn anima magic. I just feel I would be the best with it." Jake said as he grinned thinking that soon, he might be able to match Nergal.

"Now, we begin. Stay here while I go tell Hawkeye that you will be ready soon to face him. Good luck. You will need it."Athos smiled as he walked away, leaving Jake alone with Pent.

"Well, let us begin."Pent said as he grabbed several tomes off a shelf.

Three weeks had passed, when Pent came to Jake's room one morning, looking serious. It was one of Jake's free days, and he had just woken up. He had all but mastered anima magic, and he was now able to match Hawkeye in combat. Most mages took years to master a magic type, but Jake had two of the best magic teachers in existence.

Jake had also developed his wings, which he could use to fly. He was unable to fly yet, but he was getting better. He could also call out his dragon armor, but was having trouble mastering it. He just needed a little more practice.

"What's up?"Jake asked feeling worried.

"Athos had requested you to meet him in the dining hall. It's important and he wants you there as soon as possible." Pent said with an odd expression on his face as he left.

_ Athos had requested you to meet him in the dining hall. It's important and he wants you there as soon as possible._ That didn't sound too good. That didn't sound like Athos at all.

"I wonder what Athos wants. I'll come with you, and we'll find out." Sky said rolling out of his bed and getting dressed. Within minutes he was ready to go, and the pair headed towards the dining hall.

When they arrived at the dining hall, the first thing that Jake saw was Lucifer laying on the table in the clothes she was in while encased in the crystal. Athos, Hawkeye, Pent, and Pent's wife Louise were all there, looking somber.

"What's going on here?" Jake asked, feeling extremely nervous now

"Lord Athos is ready to bring back Lucifer. He feels that you are ready now." :Louise said as she sat in one of the chairs surrounding the table. Everyone sat down as Jake felt a jolt go through his mind. Was this it? This was the moment of Lucifer's revival or his death. Jake prayed silently as he sat next to Athos, who was looking very detached.

"Bring forth the light! Bring back a lost soul and return her to this earth!"Athos said in a loud clear voice, raising his hands up in the air. A bright white light filled the room, blinding Jake. Immediately, Jake felt the energy being leeched out of himself. He felt for the table and gripped it tightly, planning to wait out the process. It seemed like hours, and Jake's mind began to grow foggy. He fell sideways, unable to keep himself in the chair. He hit the floor with a loud thud the only echoed distantly in his ears. Voices cried out and he heard someone say that Athos should stop. Jake tried to object, but was unable to hear his own words. Evidently his objections were heard, because the talking stopped.

Jake was beginning to lose feeling in his limbs as the process wore on. He was beginning to feel fear when the light faded, leaving the room seeming darker than when he had gotten there. He was also feeling very cold. With the greatest effort Jake had pulled himself to his feet, using the table much of the time. When he was finally standing. He saw the rest of the group. Pent and Louise both looked ok, as well as Hawkeye. Athos looked paler than usual but he looked pleased. Sly was looking severely shaken, but was alright as well.

"Did…it…work…?" Jake asked, finding each breath a challenge. He was slowly starting to feel better, but not much better.

"I think so. Look…."Pent said, pointing towards Lucifer. Jake followed his point and saw something that made his heart leap: Lucifer's chest was moving up and down, indicating breathing. Jake slowly made his way over to Lucifer's side and grasped her hand, hoping against everything that it had worked. There was complete silence as no one moved, then…her hand squeezed back, just slightly .

"It worked…I can't believe it worked!"Jake said, feeling like he'd had been given the world. "Why isn't she waking up?" Jake asked, feeling nervous again.

"Lucifer needs much rest before she will be up and about. I suggest until then that you go out and get some fresh air. You are looking very pale." Pent said, motioning Jake towards the door. Jake nodded as he stumbled towards the main hall, thinking about getting outside and getting out in the sun.

Jake made it outside and immediately felt better when he felt the sun's rays on his face. Jake made his way over to an oasis that wasn't far away. Jake removed his boots as he sat down and stuck his feet in the water, enjoying the cold water on his feet.

Jake had just pulled his boots on when there was an odd noise. It sounded like voices…or something along those lines. Jake was about to head back to the temple when the sky went dark again. Jake drew his sword and was surprised at how heavy it felt. He was still exhausted from the revival, and he knew the fight was about to get ugly as he was suddenly surrounded by morphs. There had to be at least 50 there. A morph stepped forward, and with hatred rising in his gut Jake realized that it was Limstella, one of Nergal's right hand people.

The morphs threw themselves at Jake en masse attempting to overwhelm him. Jake swung his sword in an arc, killing several morphs with one swing. However, the rest fell on him like wolves, leaving him helpless. Jake heard Sky yelling at the morphs turned to attack him.

Sky had gone to check on Jake when he had seen Jake been overwhelmed by morphs. He drew his sword as he charged forward. Killing morphs left and right. There was a flash as one morph grabbed Jake and teleported with the rest, leaving Sky alone with the dead morphs. _Oh no…I have to tell Athos! We need to find out where he is before they do something to him! _Sky thought as he sprinted back to the temple as fast as his legs would carry him.


End file.
